Does older driver s psychophysical fitness predicts their driving performance? Dr. Tina Gehlert Head of Traffic Behaviour / Traffic Psychology, Accident Research Department, German Insurance Association (GDV) Ageing and Safe Mobility, Human Factor BASt, Bergisch Gladbach, 27.-28.11.2014
2 Accidents with personal injury Driver mainly responsible by age (2012) Source: Destatis, 2012
3 Study Design Study 1 (Test drive) Age n Min - Max Km / year (M/SD) June October 2010 27 55 26 27-53 18,368 (17,633) 64 69 41 64-69 15,962 (11,874) 70 74 29 70-74 12,154 (7,512) > 75 18 75 90 12,632 (7,712) Total 114 Study 2 (Driving simulator) Age n Min - Max Km / year (M/SD) April November 2013 35 55 27 35-55 11,519 (10,018) 64 69 29 65-69 8,862 (9,404) 70 74 4 70-74 10,118 (4,068) > 75 28 75-86 8,100 (4,733) Total 118
4 Psychophysical fitness of older drivers Sensory skills Visual acuity* Peripheral perception* Contrast vision* Colour vision Age-related macular degeneration Cognition Attention* Distraction* Visual search* Concentration Obtaining an overview* Motor skills Physical Fitness Hand-Eye-Coordination *Responsiveness *Motility (Neck) *Motility (Walking) Attitudes Risk taking Sense of responsibility Self-control Mental stability *= statistical significant age group differences
5 Age-related differences in Cognition Divided attention Distraction
6 Driving mistakes of older drivers
7 Psychophysical fitness does not predict older driver s overall performance
8 But: specific prediction for particular driving situations Psychophysical fitness Driving situation Testfahrt (Studie 1) Test drive (Study 1) Testfahrt (Studie 1) Divided attention, risk taking Age Concentration, responsiveness, visual search Junction: eye movement only to the right Junction: shoulder check Interurban: mean speed (6) Divided attention Interurban: mean speed (8) Peripheral perception Motorway: mean speed Fahrsimulator (Studie 2) Driving simulation (Study 2) Fahrsimulator (Studie 2) Visual acuity Motility (Neck) Visual search Crossing Pedestrian with/without distraction: time to collision Masked STOP Sign: Brake reaction time Veering out taxi: Brake reaction time
9 Example: visual search Visual Search Test drive: Interurban mean speed Driving simulator: BRT veering out taxi
10 Summary Considerable age-related differences in psychophysical fitness Few driving situations with age-related differences in test drive -> Driver compensation More driving situations with age-related differences in driving simulator -> Testing the limits No consistent prediction of driving performance by psychophysical fitness of senior drivers
11 What could we do otherwise? Age based populations screeing? no safety benefit due to false positive effect Voluntary training? selection effect We suggest a mandatory feedback of driving performance in real traffic, BUT without consequences for driving licence possession
12 Thanks for your attention! Contact: Tel.: +49 / 30 / 20 20-5822 E-Mail: t.gehlert@gdv.de Webpage: www.udv.de
13 Example: Visual Search Visual search detects spatial attention and visuel processing speed Task: to press a button for upwards green arrow and right-sided red arrow Parameter: reaction time, No. of missed targets